Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Xena’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunny Xena’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray florets that are purple and white in color; and have good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunny Xena’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Xena’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new Osteospermum cultivars with compactand uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractiveinflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventorin May, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number 90.010.03, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number 10.005.02, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark inJune, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Odense, Denmark since January, 2007, has shownthat the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunny Xena has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Xena’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunny Xena’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray        florets that are purple and white in color.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parentselection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the female parentselection have bright pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parentselection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the male parentselection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum cultivar Sunny Fiona, disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 11/821,112. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Odense, Denmark, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarilyfrom plants of the cultivar Sunny Fiona in ray floret color as rayflorets of plants of the cultivar Sunny Fiona are deep pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum. This photographs shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Xena’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Sunny Xena’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Odense, Denmark during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouseand under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 20° C., nighttemperatures averaged 14° C. and light levels ranged from 200 to 800watts per square meter. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time andwere about 15 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Xena.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 90.010.03,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 10.005.02,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 18° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at 18° C.            to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About three weeks            at 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About four weeks            at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit.            Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.            Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 24.8 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,            about five primary lateral branches per plant. Length: About            7 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape:            Narrowly obovate to narrowly spatulate. Apex: Rounded to            broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Dentate; coarse,            irregular. Texture, upper and lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; leathery; moderately dense pubescence along the            leaf margins. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing            foliage, upper surface: 137A to 137B. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 137B to 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: Slightly darker than 137A; venation, 144B. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C; venation, 144B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            oblanceolate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned            above and beyond the foliage; inflorescences terminal and            axillary. Disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescences face mostly upright to outward.            Freely flowering habit; about 45 inflorescences develop per            plant. Inflorescences not persistent. Inflorescences not            fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—In northern Europe, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to late summer.            Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about eight            weeks after pinching. Inflorescences last about two weeks on            the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About            1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to almost globular. Color: 137B;            towards the apex, 151C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.9 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.9 cm. Disc diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle            diameter: About 1.6 mm. Receptacle height: About 6 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; at the base, pubescent. Number of            ray florets per inflorescence: About 19 in about two whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards the apex, 77C;            towards the base, 155C; at the base, 77D. When opening,            lower surface: 177B to 177C; stripes, between 177A, 182B and            200C. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex, 77C to            77D; towards the base, 155C; at the base, 77D. With            development, color becoming closer to N77D. Fully opened,            lower surface: 182B; stripes, between 182B and 183A flushed            with 200C.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 3 mm. Diameter,            base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 100. Color: Immature: Apex, N186A; mid-section and            base, close to 148A. Mature: Apex, N92A; mid-section and            base, 155A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 16 in a single            whorl. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:            Narrowly lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate, elongated. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: 148B. Color, lower            surface: 137B; towards the margins, 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 7.5 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 10.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncles: Mostly            upright. Aspect, axillary peduncles: About 25° from            vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144A to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 202A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 21A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma            color: N186B. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style color:            N186C. Ovary color: 145A.-   Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on    plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Xena’ asillustrated and described.